Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1887-02-16
Virginia Farmers Assembly.

on the 9Th instant. Colonel Robert Bever-
ley, the president, opened the deliberations
in brief and appropriate address. He
stated that since the last session forty new
farmers clubs have been organized in the
State and the legislation at Washington was
highly encouraging for the advancement of
the agricultural interests of the country.
Mr.. Layman, Of Abemarle, was chairman
of the committee appointed at the last SEES
sion to frame bill to be presented for the
action of the next Legislature. This bill
provides for the establishment of a. State
Board of Agriculture to be composed of
representatives of all the agricultural So
ceties of the State Board of Directors
formed of the President and Vice-Presi-
dent of the State Agricultural Society, and
three members to be appointed by the
Governor from the three grand divisions of
the State, viz: Tidewater, Piedmont, and
the Valley, including Southwest Virginia.
The Commissioner of Agriculture is to be
er-o6fcio Secretary and Treasurer Of the
board. $4,000 is to be annually appro-
priated to be divided ratably between all
the societies and associations belonging to
the department Of agriculture.
Mr.. Grattan, of Augusta, from the
special committee appointed for that pur-
pose, submitted platform of principles
which was adopted. 1t is as follows:
"The oppressive taxes now being exaeted
from agriculture for the benefit of corpora
tions and individuals under privileges OBJ
taiEed from both Federal and State legisla-
ton have borne their fruit. The labor of
the farmer no longer meets with its just
return. Whereas during twenty years of
peace our people have been sorely burdened
with war taxes, and are now groaning
under the weight of an OVERLOOKING treasury,
which surplus is neither held in the treasury
for the public benefit nor disbursed in pro-
molten of the general interest, bnt invested
in illegal if not immoral appropriations and
financial disaster to this most numerous
class of our people is imminent if more of
the proceeds of the farm cannot be with
held from the grasp of monopoly, impelled
by a consciousness Of the wrong that has
been perpetrated upon us by the license
granted by our Government for the benefit
of the privileged few who have obtained
such license, the farmers of Virginia,
| through their representatives, have met in
| Assembly to concert measures for their
relief and, with the view of obtaining Just
and proper legislation to this end both at
| Washington and at Richmond, they make
the following declaration of principles,
| which should form the basis of such legis-
| lation
| l. That government is trust in which
all the people are benefciares !; that money
taken by law from the pockets of the peo-
pie must and ought to be expended only for
the benefit of all the people that to tax
the people for the benefit of class or indi-
vidual is but taking private property for
private use, and is but legalized robbery.
Q. That any law passed by Congress the
effect of which is to compel one class of our
people to buy Of another class by prohibit
ing tie importation of foreign goods neces-
sarily increases the price of the thing
bought to the buyer, and places him in the
power of the seller; that we denounce all
such legislation, because it's legitimate eff
feet is to create and maintain privileged
classes in the country, and thus to violate
the letter and spirit of our constitutions.
8. That railroads are highways opened
by the laws and authority Of the State for
the convenience and reasonable aecommo-
!
not made solely for the pleasure or benefit
of the corporations who operate them ;
that the State in granting such franchises
acts as a trustee for the people of the State,
and as such trustee is bound to see that the
| terms of the trust are strictly carried out,
and whenever there is an effort on the part
| of such corporations to use their fra nchises
against the fair interests of the people of
the State, then it becomes the duty of the
State by proper legislation 10 interpose for
the protection of her people. We therefore
demand that the Legislature of the State
shall pass such laws as will prohibit dis
elimination by railroads between localities
and individuals, requiring the publication
of their tariff Of rates, and enforcing these
and other measures of needed relief by
adequate penalties and agencies.
A. That we endorse the measure lately
passed by Congress known as the Inter
State Commerce bill as step in the right
direction, giving the producers and ship
pers of the country this measure of relief :;
that the power to discriminate between per-
sons and localities claimed by railroad mana
gers, their lobbies, agents, and attorneys,
is but another device for taxing one class
for the support of another; that neither
the State nor the Federal Governments pos
sess such power, and are therefore ncapa-
Bile of delegating it to the railroads that
the exercise of such power by the creature
of the State is in effect to take value from
the land and products in one section and
bestew the same value upon another
5. We call upon our State Legislature to
be vigilant in restricting with proper limi-
tations the charters to be hereafter granted
to corporations; that charters to railroad
companies should rigidly restrict them to
the business of common carriers that they
should be prohibited absolutely from own
ing directly or Indirectly real or personal
property other than that actually necessary
for their business of common carriers that
we regard the system now practiced by GER
tain railroad companies of buying up SO as
to monopolizs, the coal and other mineral
lands of the country as pregnant with the
greatest evil that to corner fael would be
scarcely less disastrous than to corner
bread and would place the consumer at the
mercy ofmonopoly in the price to be paid
for this necessary of life.
g. We earnestly call upon our representa-
tives, both by word and vote to urge a
| repeal of the tax on tobacco and fruit
braudies
| Z. That we hereby express our unalter
able determination to support no man who
will not aid us honestly and faithfully in
obtaining relief from the grievances COM
planned of, and to that end we urgently
recommend that the agricultural class
organize throughout the State and support
men who are pledged to be in full accord
and sympathy with the farming interest
for all legislative Offices, both State and
national, and will pledge themselves to
refuse free passes on railroads.
That in the contest which is to be made
! between monopoly and the privileged
classes on the one hand, and the taxpayers
on the other, involving, as it does, a fair
price to the consumer of what he eats and
wears, of the very fuel that protects his
family from the frosts of winter, involves
also the continuance of a system of tax
alton that reduces the value of a days
wages one-third, by increasing the price of
that which the necessities of the consumer
compel him to buy and whilst disclaiming
any affiila,ion with extremes, we invoke the
assistance and cooperation of all laborers,
whether in the field, factory, or elsewhere,
and ask that such unite with us and make